Sign device for a mop bucket

ABSTRACT

A mop bucket system may include a mop bucket to contain fluids, a wringer unit including a wringer cone connected to the mop bucket to remove the fluid from a mop, a sign device detachably connected to the wringer unit to display a sign including indicia. The sign device may include a first end section, and the sign device may include a second end section. The sign device may include a first inward curve section, and the sign device may include a second inward curve section connected to the second end section. The sign device may include a central section which connects the first inward curve section and the second inward curve section, and the sign device may include a platform section which connects the first inward curve section and the second inward curve section. The platform section may include an upward extending tab.

PRIORITY

The present invention claims priority under 35 USC section 119 and based upon a provisional application with a Ser. No. of 61/406015 which was filed on Oct. 22, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mop bucket system and more particularly to a mop bucket system which includes a sign device for supporting a sign.

BACKGROUND

Mop bucket systems are commonly used for cleaning purposes. A mop bucket contains liquid used for cleaning. It is typically used to facilitate the mopping of floors.

The use of a mop to clean floors is an age-old method still practiced extensively because it is effective. A typical mop has an elongated handle with a mop head attached to one end. The mop head is formed of strands of moisture adsorbent material, which can be natural or man-made. A mop is generally used with a bucket of water to both wet and rinse the mop head after use. The normal method of using a mop is to wet the mop head in the bucket of water, wring out the mop head by hand and then push the mop head over the floor surface to remove dirt or pick up excess moisture. Once the mop head has been pushed over a certain area of floor, the mop head is placed in the bucket of water to rinse out the dirt and soil removed from the floor. The mop head is then wrung out to remove excess moisture and the process is repeated until the water in the bucket becomes too dirty and must be changed. However, there are certain disadvantages inherent in a simple mop and bucket. Among these are difficulties in wringing and cleaning the mop by hand to remove liquid and dirt so that the mop is as clean as possible when used on the floor. Another problem is what to do with the mop while the water in the bucket is being changed. It is not advisable to simply lay the mop on the floor. Dumping a large bucket of water can also be a problem simply because of the weight.

While the mop and bucket system as described above only discusses the use of water in the bucket, it is well known that warm or hot water will clean better than simple cold water. Likewise, it is common to add chemical solutions to assist in cleaning or whatever the desired effect might be. For example, wax stripper might be needed to clean wax build up, or a disinfectant might be needed in a health care facility. Such chemical solutions would usually be provided in individual containers and manually mixed in the bucket.

There is a need for a sign hanger.

SUMMARY

A mop bucket system may include a mop bucket to contain fluids, a wringer unit including a wringer cone connected to the mop bucket to remove the fluid from a mop, a sign device detachably connected to the wringer unit to display a sign including indicia.

The sign device may include a first end section, and the sign device may include a second end section.

The sign device may include a first inward curve section, and the sign device may include a second inward curve section connected to the second end section.

The sign device may include a central section which connects the first inward curve section and the second inward curve section, and the sign device may include a platform section which connects the first inward curve section and the second inward curve section.

The platform section may include an upward extending tab.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a mop bucket with a sign device.

FIG. 2 illustrates the sign device to hold a sign in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a back view of a mop bucket with a sign device;

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a mop bucket with a sign device;

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of the sign device of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the sign device and sign of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the mop bucket of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Mop buckets and wringers are a common and ubiquitous cleaning product that is used in many public environments such as restaurants, hotel lobbies, food stores, and airports. They are commonly used in combination with mops and a cleaning solution. In virtually all applications, a solution is contained inside the bucket and a mop is used to spread solution. If the mop is used to wet the floor in a public place, it is common practice to place a warning sign on the floor in the area that is wet. The sign will notify passersby of a potential slip and fall situation.

In many cases, the mop bucket & wringer combination is positioned on a wheeled cart. The wheeled cart will be used to transport the bucket which can be heavy due to the amount of liquid it is carrying. It is advantageous to have storage for the previously mentioned caution sign as part of the design of the wheeled cart.

However, in many cases, the mop bucket and wringer combination is not mounted onto a cart. The bucket is able to be moved by caster wheels that are assembled to the underside of the mop bucket. In this case, the sign that cautions passersby about the slip and fall condition of the wet floor does not have a storage facility. It will be advantageous to have a dedicated storage condition that is a part of the isolated mop bucket & wringer combination.

The design of this attachment to the wringer portion does not inhibit or hinder the operation of the wringing operation of the combination mop bucket and wringer. The attachment is mounted to the rear portion of the wringer, so it is out of the way of the normal operation of the mop wringer where the user will be positioned to the side of the bucket for wringing the mop, and out of the way of the front of the bucket where the user may place the mop into the bucket.

There also is a open shape on the top portion of the sign hangar which can facilitate the handling of the wringer. The wringer is frequently removed and reassembled to the mop bucket when the residual liquid remaining inside the mop bucket is emptied.

The sign hangar is attached to the rear portion of the wringer. There are two screws that hold the sign hangar to the wringer.

A mop bucket and a wringer unit 110 is disclosed in which the bucket 112 has a bottom surface 116, and a peripheral wall 118 which extends upwards from the bottom surface 116 and around the periphery of the bottom surface 116. The wringer unit 110 may be supportable on an upper edge 130 of the peripheral wall 118 of the mop bucket 112, and being releasably engagable from the bucket 112. There being releasable engaging device including a pivotable clip 174 on each of two opposing sides of the combination mop bucket and wringer unit 110 and an engagable element 176 with which a respective pivotable clip 174 can be snap-fit releasably engaged. Each pivotable clip 174 may be formed independently of the mop bucket 112. Alternatively, the wringer unit 110 may be rigidly attached to the mop bucket 112.

The wringer unit 110 may include a wringer cone 115 to cooperate with the bucket wall interior surface the top end of the peripheral wall 118. The bucket 9 and wringer cone 115 are preferably constructed of plastic or polymer sheet material and it would be advantageous to produce them as one piece using injection-molding technology.

The wringer cone 115 may be a downward facing or inverted circumferential cone having a wringer cone wall 117 with a plurality of wringing slots 119 and a wringer cone bottom hole 131. The wringer cone 115 includes wringing slots 119, spaced at a distance apart toward the wringer cone bottom hole 131. The movable press elements 133 are elongate pieces or bars which extend across the channel 135 and which, in use, then urge and squeeze the absorbent mop material into the channel 135 as they move into the channel 135.

The handle 137 may be pivotably mounted over the opening 139 of the wringer unit 110, so as substantially to centralize the force imparted by the user and thus reduce undesirable twisting moments being imparted to the unit.

Opposite side walls 151 of the wringer unit 110 project upwardly from the channel 135, and the wringer unit 110 includes side covers 153 which cover the geared press mechanism. The mop bucket 112 may include pivotable wheels 155 in order to facilitate movement of the mop bucket and wringer unit 110.

FIG. 2 illustrates a substantially rotated C-shaped sign device 200 which may be detachably connected to the mop bucket and wringer unit 110 in order to allow the user to guide the wringer unit 110. The sign device 200 may include a first end section 201 and an opposing second end section 203 which may be an elongated upward extending section and may be hollow or a solid and may include a multi-dimensional cross section such as rectangular, circular or other cross section. The first end section 201 may be connected to a first inward curve section 205, and the second end section 203 may be connected to an opposing second inward curve section 207. The first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may be hollow or solid and may include a multidimensional cross section. The first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may be connected to a central section 209 which may be arched in order to form a user handle. Additionally, the first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may be connected by a substantially horizontal platform section 211 which may extend rear wards beyond the plane defined by the first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 and the rear edge of the platform section 211 may include a first and second upward extending tab 211 to detachably connect to a sign having a aperture or edge to cooperate with the first and second upward extending tab 211 and the rear top surface of the platform section 211.

The first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may have respectively an opposing concave section 213, 215.

The first end section 201 and the second end section 203 may include an engageable/releasable jaw section 231 which may be pivotably connected to respectively the first end section 201 and a second mirrored jaw section 231 which may be pivotably connected to the second end section 203 by a shaft which may extend from the first and second end section 201, 203. The jaw section 231 may engageable/releasably be detachably connected to the side walls 151.

FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of the sign device 200 positioned on the mop bucket and wringer unit 110, the peripheral wall 118, the wheels 115, the bucket 112, the side walls 151 and the covers 153.

FIG. 3 additionally illustrates the first end section 201, the second end section 203, the first inward curve section 205, the second inward curve section 207, the central section 209, the platform section 212 and the upward extending tabs 211.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the sign device 200 positioned on the mop bucket and wringer unit 110, the peripheral wall 118, the wheels 115, the bucket 112, the side walls 151 and the covers 153.

FIG. 4 additionally illustrates the first end section 201, the second end section 203, the first inward curve section 205, the second inward curve section 207, the central section 209, the platform section 212 and the upward extending tabs 211. FIG. 4 additionally illustrates the sign 401 which may be positioned on platform 212 and held in position by tabs 211.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of a substantially rotated C-shaped sign device 200 which may be detachably connected to the mop bucket and wringer unit 110 in order to allow the user to guide the wringer unit 110. The sign device 200 may include a first end section 201 and an opposing second end section 203 which may be an elongated upward extending section and may be hollow or a solid and may include a multi-dimensional cross section such as rectangular, circular or other cross section. The first end section 201 may be connected to a first inward curve section 205, and the second end section 203 may be connected to an opposing second inward curve section 207. The first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may be hollow or solid and may include a multidimensional cross section. The first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may be connected to a central section 209 which may be arched in order to form a user handle. Additionally, the first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may be connected by a substantially horizontal platform section 211 which may extend rear wards beyond the plane defined by the first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 and the rear edge of the platform section 211 may include a first and second upward extending tab 211 to detachably connect to a sign having a aperture or edge to cooperate with the first and second upward extending tab 211 and the rear top surface of the platform section 211.

The first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may have respectively an opposing concave section 213, 215.

The first end section 201 and the second end section 203 may include an engageable/releasable jaw section 231 which may be pivotably connected to respectively the first end section 201 and a second mirrored jaw section 231 which may be pivotably connected to the second end section 203 by a shaft which may extend from the first and second end section 201, 203. The jaw section 231 may engageable/releasably be detachably connected to the side walls 151.

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of a substantially rotated C-shaped sign device 200 which may be detachably connected to the mop bucket and wringer unit 110 in order to allow the user to guide the wringer unit 110. The sign device 200 may include a first end section 201 and an opposing second end section 203 which may be an elongated upward extending section and may be hollow or a solid and may include a multi-dimensional cross section such as rectangular, circular or other cross section. The first end section 201 may be connected to a first inward curve section 205, and the second end section 203 may be connected to an opposing second inward curve section 207. The first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may be hollow or solid and may include a multidimensional cross section. The first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may be connected to a central section 209 which may be arched in order to form a user handle. Additionally, the first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may be connected by a substantially horizontal platform section 211 which may extend rear wards beyond the plane defined by the first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 and the rear edge of the platform section 211 may include a first and second upward extending tab 211 to detachably connect to a sign having a aperture or edge to cooperate with the first and second upward extending tab 211 and the rear top surface of the platform section 211.

The first inward curve section 205 and the second inward curve section 207 may have respectively an opposing concave section 213, 215.

The first end section 201 and the second end section 203 may include an engageable/releasable jaw section 231 which may be pivotably connected to respectively the first end section 201 and a second mirrored jaw section 231 which may be pivotably connected to the second end section 203 by a shaft which may extend from the first and second end section 201, 203. The jaw section 231 may engageable/releasably be detachably connected to the side walls 151.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the sign device 200 positioned on the mop bucket and wringer unit 110, the peripheral wall 118, the wheels 115, the bucket 112, the side walls 151 and the covers 153.

FIG. 7 additionally illustrates the first end section 201, the second end section 203, the first inward curve section 205, the second inward curve section 207, the central section 209, the platform section 212 and the upward extending tabs 211.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. 

1) A mop bucket system, comprising: a mop bucket to contain fluids; a wringer unit including a wringer cone connected to the mop bucket to remove the fluid from a mop; a sign device detachably connected to the wringer unit to display a sign including indicia. 2) A mop bucket system as in claim 1, wherein the sign device includes a first end section. 3) A mop bucket system as in claim 2, wherein the sign device includes a second end section. 4) A mop bucket system as in claim 1 wherein the sign device includes a first inward curve section. 5) A mop bucket system as in claim 4, wherein the sign device includes a second inward curve section connected to the second end section. 6) A mop bucket system as in claim 5, wherein the sign device includes a central section which connects the first inward curve section and the second inward curve section. 7) A mop bucket system as in claim 6, wherein the sign device includes a platform section which connects the first inward curve section and the second inward curve section. 8) A mop bucket system as in claim 7, wherein the platform section includes an upward extending tab. 